Peanut-threshing device.



O. R. LIVERMON. PEANUT THRESHING DEVIGB.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.1G, 1912.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

2 SHEET 3-SHEET 1.

Em l m Z9 65 u 1 v -\l I/EIITOR ATTORNEYS 0. R. LIVERMON.

' v PEANUT THRESHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1912.

1,049,244, 7 Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 0' 5 WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS coLuMmA PLANOGRAPHco" WASHINGTON: D. c.

UNITED STATES PAHTENT OFFICE.

PEANUT-THRESHING DEVICE.

Application filed February 16, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL R. LIVERMON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Roxobel, in the county of Bertie and State of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Peanut-Threshing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in peanut threshing devices, and itconsists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide means for separating the peanutsfrom the vines and for delivering the peanuts cleaned from chafl anddirt from one part of the machine and for discharging the vines fromanother part of the device.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for cleaning theseparating device during the operation of the latter so as to preventthe clogging of the machine in the threshing operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a threshing device withmeans for positively stripping the peanuts from the vines but withoutdanger of crushing the peanuts.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part ofthis application, in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectionthrough the device, Fig. 1 is a detail view of a portion of the mainscreen; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section along the line 22 of Fig. 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

In carrying out my invention I provide a main frame 1 mounted on wheels2. This frame bears a series of drums such as those shown at A, B, C andD which are mounted transversely on the frame upon their respectiveaxles a, b, c, and d. Each of the drums is provided on its exterior witha series of spring fingers 3 of the form shown in Fig. 2, these fingersbeing preferably arranged in pairs.

At one end of the frame 1 is a table 4 upon which the peanut vines areplaced preparatory to feeding them to the drums. Extending underneaththe drums is a continuous screen 5 which forms a series of curves,

each curve being concentric with the axis of Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 31,1912.

Serial No. 677,906.

its particular drum. These screens are so located as to just clear thespring fingers 3. Under each screen is an arc-shaped frame such as thoseshown at E, F, G, and H which are provided with brushes 6, the ends ofthese brushes being in engagement with the bottom of the screen.

Suspended from the upper part of the frame 1 by means of the links orarms 7 is a V-shaped chute 8, one side of the chute being inclined at agreater angle than the other to provide a discharge opening 9 near thecenter of the device. The discharge opening 9 communicates with theinterior of an air passage 10 in which is located a screen 11. At oneend of this air passage is the mouth 12 of a fan or blower 13, the otherend being open as shown at 14*. At 15 is the discharge chute for thepeanuts which isinclined to one side as shown in Fig. 2 so as to permitthe peanuts to be delivered after being threshed.

The brush frames E, F, G and H are suspended from the axles of the drumsby means of links 14. In Fig. 2, only the frame G is shown, but theothers are similarly suspended. The frames are actuated by means of rods16 extending along the sides of the machine and being connected with theframes at 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The driving pulleys l8 and 19 are disposed on one of the axles such assmall 0, (see Fig. 2), and the other drums are driven by means of belts20 passing over pulleys 21 in such a manner as to turn all of the drumsin the same direction. The conduit 10 and the discharge chute 15,together with a discharge chute 22 for dust or dirt are suspended bymeans of links 23 and 24, these links being so positioned as to permit amovement of the frame which forms the conduit. The driving mechanism foractuating the conduit 10, the chute S, and the brush frames E, F, G andH consists of a rocking lever 26, one end of which is connected to theconduit frame 10 by means of a link 27, the other end being connected bymeans of the link 28 to the suspended chute 8 and by means of the link29 to the'rod 16 which is common to the brush frames.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device theoperation thereof may be readily understood. The operator takes hisstand on a platform 30 and feeds the vines with the peanuts attached,for Wardly, where they are caught up by the spring fingers 3 of thefirst drum A and carried downwardly and forwardly over the first curvedsection of the screen 5. This screen is of large enough mesh to permitthe entrance of the peanuts, and, as shown in Fig 1 is preferably ofdiamond shaped mesh, the acute angles of the diamond being inthedirection of travel of the vines. The purpose of this construction isreadily seen, for as the peanuts go througlrthe screen they are drawnforward into'the acute angle and are thereby torn from the vines,whereupon they tend to fall into the chute'S. It is obvious that all ofthe peanuts will not be separated from the vines at the first screensection, and for this reason I provide more than one drum and screensection. It will be understood that the rocking lever 26 is actuated byany suitable mechanism (not shown) so as to cause the oscillation of thebrush frames E, F, G and H. The brushes 6 which are in contact with thelower part of the screen 5, tend to dislodge any of the peanuts whichare caught in the screen, and also to keep the screen clear of particlesof the vine itself, thereby giving thepeanuts a good chance to fallthrough the screen upon the peanut chute 8. The latter is os-' cillatedby means of the link 28 which is connected with the rocking lever 26.The peanuts pass down through the opening 9 upon the screen 11 which isalso oscillating through the movement of the link 27. Here theygravitate toward the blower or fan 13, and the lighter parts of thechaff or dirt is blown out through the passage or conduit 10 and throughthe opening 14. The heavier part of the dirt collects in the chute 22while the peanuts themselves fall into the chute 15 and are deliveredfrom the side of the machine in a perfectly clean condition. The vinesare passed on from drum to drum and are discharged upon the tail board81.

The purpose of the spring fingers is to pull the vines forwardly withoutbreaking or injuring the peanuts. hen a peanut is caught in thescreenthe spring finger will ride over it and the movement of the brushunderneath the screen will dislodge the peanut, whereupon it will fallinto the chute 8.

I am aware that other forms of the device based on the same principlemight be made, but I consider as my own all such modifications as fairlyfall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a peanut threshing device, a frame, drums carried thereby, aperforated concave for each drum, spring fingers carried by theperiphery of the drum and arranged to engage the upper surface of theconcave. brushes disposed beneath the concave and arranged to engage thelatter, and means for reciprocating the brushes in a path concentric tothe perforated concave.

2. In a peanut threshing device, a frame, drums carried thereby, aperforated concave for each drum, spring fingers carried by theperiphery of the drum and arranged to engage the upper surface of theconcave, brushes disposed beneath the concave and arranged to engage thelatter, a frame concentric with the perforated concave, a series ofbrushes carried'by said frame and arranged to engage the concave, saidframe being mounted on an axis coincident with that of the drum, andmeans for reciprocating the frame.

3. In a peanut threshing device, a frame, drums carried thereby, aperforated concave for each drum, spring fingers carried by theperiphery of the drum and arranged to engage the upper surface of theconcave, brushes disposed beneath the concave and arranged to engage thelatter, a frame concentric with the perforated concave, a series ofbrushes carried by said frame, and arranged to engage the concave, saidframe being mounted on an axis coincident .with:

that of the drum, means for reciprocating the frame, said reciprocatingmeans 'com-' prising a rod pivotally connected to each of saidconcentric frames, and means for reciprocating the rod.

4. In a peanut threshing device, a series of drums, each drum being.provided with spring fingers 011 its periphery, a perforated concave foreach drum, each of said perforations having a diamond shape, the greaterlength of the diamond being disposed transversely to the axis of thedrum, a concentric frame being pivotally disposed beneath each concave,the pivots of the concentric frames coinciding with the axes of threeindividual drums, and means for reciprocating the concentric framessimultaneously.

In a peanut threshing device, a series of drums, each drum beingprovided with spring fingers on its periphery, a perfoated concave foreach drum, each of said perforations having a diamond shape, the greaterlength of the diamond being disposed transversely to the axis of thedrum,

a concentric frame being pivotally disposedthe rod.

CARL R. LIVERMON.

IVitnesses Jaoon M. JACOBS, RUPERT IV. JILoorr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

